The Holy Spirit's Procession
Orthodox teaching confesses the Father as the sole cause of the Spirit's hypostatic origin and retains the Creed without the Filioque. The Spirit's eternal manifestation through the Son and temporal sending must be distinguished from origin.
Historical context
The Creed of Constantinople (381) says the Spirit proceeds from the Father. A later Latin addition, 'and the Son,' became a major East–West dispute.
Scripture
- John 14:26 — Jesus says the Father will send the Advocate in his name to teach and remind the disciples.
- John 15:26 — Jesus says he will send the Advocate from the Father and calls the Spirit the one who proceeds from the Father.
- John 16:7 — Jesus says his departure makes way for the Advocate, whom he will send to the disciples.
Primary sources
The creed confesses the Spirit as:
The creed associated with Constantinople I says the Spirit proceeds from the Father.
the Lord and Giver-of-Life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified
Passage context and translation
The council confesses the Spirit's divine lordship and the Father's monarchy in the Creed received by the Church.
Before the excerpt
And [we believe] in the Holy Ghost,
After the excerpt
who spoke by the prophets.